Lesson 236

Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends in various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly. Examples: played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen.

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Examples: to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten.

Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. To see better, I got new glasses.

2. Sometimes I just need to do more.

3. Having changed his mind, he turned to go.

4. The team winning the match will be given new shirts.

5. You can go home only by crossing the street.

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Answers:

1. to see better is an adverb infinitive phrase modifying the verb got

2. to do more is a noun infinitive phrase used as the direct object

3. having changed his mind is a participial phrase modifying the subject he/to go is an adverb infinitive modifying the verb turned

4. winning the match is a participial phrase modifying the subject team

5. crossing the street is a gerund phrase used as the object of the preposition